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Sudoku is pure logic. Learn these techniques and you'll solve any puzzle without guessing. Start with naked singles. Master pointing pairs. Graduate to X-Wing.
Look for a cell where only one number can fit. Scan the row, column, and box—eliminate what's already there. The remaining number is your answer. This alone solves most easy puzzles.
If a candidate appears in only two cells within a 3×3 box, and both cells share a row or column, that candidate can't appear elsewhere in that row or column. Eliminates possibilities fast.
If a candidate in a row or column appears only within one 3×3 box, eliminate it from the rest of that box. Works the other way too: if a candidate in a box appears only in one row or column, eliminate it from the rest of that line.
When a candidate appears in exactly two cells in two different rows, and those cells share the same two columns, you can eliminate that candidate from the other cells in those columns. Forms an X pattern—hence the name.
The 3-row version of X-Wing. A candidate appears in exactly three cells across three rows, all in the same three columns. Eliminate that candidate from other cells in those columns. Rare but powerful.
Work in pencil marks (note all candidates in each cell). Focus on rows, columns, or boxes with the fewest empty cells. Never guess. If you're stuck, you've missed a logical deduction.
Want to study these techniques with diagrams and championship-level puzzles? These resources go further than we can here.
